About ChocolateKeys for finding the worlds finest chocolate

What makes the worlds finest chocolate? Well that can be a subject of great debate, but let me share what I know about chocolate so that you can decide for yourself.

Chocolate as you may know is found in candy bars, milk shakes, cookies, flavored
coffee— cereals and medicines!

It is no surprise that chocolate is a key ingredient in many foods. In
fact, it ranks as the favorite flavor of most Americans.

And yet, few of us know the unique origins of this
popular treat.

Chocolate, as we commonly know it, is the product
of a that begins with the fruit (cacao beans)of the tropical tree Theobroma
cacao. The beans are fermented, dried, roasted, and ground, and the resulting
products include cocoa butter, a smooth, solid fat used in both food and
cosmetics, and chocolate liquor, or ground roasted cocoa beans. The type of
chocolate is determined by the various amounts of cocoa butter and chocolate
liquor the chocolate contains, as well the amount of sugar and any other
ingredients added to the mixture.

This brief guide to chocolate terminology will
familiarize you with some of the most common chocolate varieties.

Cocoa powder:

This unsweetened powder is
pulverized, partially defatted chocolate liquor. Cocoa powder gives an intense
chocolate taste and is available in “Dutch-processed” (alkalized) or natural
varieties. Dutch-processed is consider to be one one of the worlds finest chocolate, by many bakers. Natural cocoa powder is light brown, with a strong, pronounced
chocolate flavor. It is slightly acidic, so it is best to use natural cocoa
powder in recipes calling for baking soda. Alkalized cocoa powder is darker in
color, less acidic, and has a milder chocolate taste. Alkalized cocoa powder is
recommended for recipes that call for baking powder.

Also known as “bitter” or
“baking” chocolate. This is pure chocolate liquor, composed solely of ground
cocoa beans. Although it looks and smells like chocolate, it has a bitter taste
and is not meant for consumption on its own—it is best used in cooking, when it
can be combined with sugar to make it more palatable. Because cocoa beans contain
equal amounts of cocoa butter and cocoa solids, unsweetened chocolate lends a
deep, rich chocolate flavor to baked goods. Unsweetened chocolate is the base
ingredient in all of the worlds finest chocolates, except white chocolate.

Chocolate, as defined by
the FDA, that contains at least 35% cocoa solids. Most bittersweet bars contain
at least 50% chocolate liquor, with some bars pushing 70-80% chocolate liquor.
This chocolate often has a deeper, more bitter flavor than sweet dark or
semi-sweet bars. However, the amount of sugar in the chocolate is not
regulated, so one manufacturer’s “bittersweet” bar may taste sweeter than
another’s “semi-sweet” bar.

Semi-sweet chocolate:

This is primarily an
American term, popularized by Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Semi-sweet chocolate contains at least 35% cocoa solids, and is generally
assumed to be darker than sweet dark chocolate, but sweeter than bittersweet.
However, the lack of regulations regarding sugar content means that these
classifications are relative and not consistent across brands.

Sweet dark chocolate:

Is “dark chocolate” in the
sense that it does not contain milk solids, but it still has a high percentage
of sugar and is much sweeter than other types of dark chocolate. Many brands of
sweet dark chocolate have only 20-40% cocoa solids.

More about the worlds finest chocolates! Click Here!

Milk chocolate:

In addition to containing cocoa butter and
chocolate liquor, milk chocolate contains either condensed milk (most European
varieties) or dry milk solids. Milk chocolate must contain at least 10%
chocolate liquor (in the United States), 3.39% butterfat, and 12% milk solids.
Milk chocolates are typically much sweeter than dark chocolate, and have a
lighter color and a less pronounced chocolate taste. Milk chocolate is more
difficult to temper properly and more prone to overheating.

White chocolate gets its
name from the cocoa butter it contains, but does not contain chocolate liquor
or any other cocoa products. As a result, it has no pronounced chocolate taste,
but commonly tastes like vanilla or other added flavorings. By law, white
chocolate must contain a minimum 20% cocoa butter, 14% milk solids, and a
maximum of 55% sugar. There are some “white chocolate” products available that
contain vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter—these should be avoided from a
taste standpoint, as they contain no cocoa products at all, and are not
technically white chocolate. Though white chocolate may not be on the list of worlds finest chocolates, it does work nicely when mixed with other flavor ingredients like broken up mint candy or cinnamon hearts.

Couverture chocolate:

Used primarily by
professional bakers or confectioners, this chocolate contains a very high
percent (at least 30%) of cocoa butter, as well as a high percentage of
chocolate liquor. This high ratio makes it one of the worlds finest chocolates and is price accordingly. But it also means that
the resulting chocolate is smooth and melts quickly and evenly. Couverture
chocolate is the preferred chocolate for tempering and enrobing candies. It comes
in dark, milk, and white varieties, and can be purchased online or at
well-stocked cake decorating stores.

Gianduja chocolate:

Gianduja is the name given
to a European style of chocolate made from chocolate and nut paste. Hazelnut
paste is most common, but gianduja can also be made with almond paste. It comes
in milk or dark chocolate varieties. Gianduja chocolate can be used as a
flavoring or as a substitute for milk or dark chocolate. At room temperature it
is soft enough to be rolled or cut, but is too soft to use for molding chocolates. Though not for everybody, many consider this among the worlds finest chocolates

"Candy
coating" chocolate:

Also known
as “confectionery coating,” “summer coating,” or “compound coating.” These
terms refer to candy products that are flavored like dark, milk or white
chocolate and substitute vegetable or palm oils for cocoa butter. These
products are cheaper than most chocolates, and do not contain significant
amounts of chocolate liquor; thus, they do not have a strong chocolate flavor
or an appealing mouthfeel. However, they have excellent melting and
molding properties, and thus are often used in candy making for dipping or
enrobing, since they do not require tempering and
can withstand high ambient temperatures. Be careful to never mix candy coating
with real chocolate, as the fats are not compatible and the resulting candy
will be unattractive and discolored. This is not on the list of worlds finest chocloates, but it does have it place.